The present invention relates to compact multiple image cameras and particularly concerns the making of color photographs with such a camera that incorporates a black-and-white video monitor.
Compact cameras of the type shown in our prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,285,587 and 4,343,543 have a number of advantages in production of photographic records, because of the ease of handling, compact size, and flexibility of operation. In the arrangement shown in these prior patents, a relatively small screen black-and-white video monitor is mounted in a housing, and a folded path optical system directs light from the monitor screen in a compact folded path arrangement to an output axis generally behind the screen and parallel to the screen face. The arrangement is efficient, effective and highly satisfactory for production of multiple image formats of a variety of types on black-and-white film.
In many situations, both in medical cameras where photographs are employed for patient diagnosis or diagnostic records, and in computer-controlled displays where a computer produces a graphic display upon a monitor screen, a photographic record in color, rather than in black-and-white, is desired. Preferably, in order to make a photographic color record, a small screen color video monitor would be employed instead of the black-and-white monitor. However, because of the nature of the video color monitor, high resolution is difficult to achieve on a small screen, and many situations require use of a smaller video monitor, which would provide an unacceptably low resolution if in color. Accordingly, a small size, high resolution black-and-white video monitor may be sequentially fed with different color components of a color video signal, and a color film may be sequentially exposed, through different color filters, to thDe image provided by the several color components of the black-and-white screen. The several color component black-and-white images are superimposed, one upon the other, upon the color film. In this manner, a satisfactory color photograph of a picture defined by a color video signal is obtained with the use of a black-and-white video monitor of high resolution.
In some prior black-and-white monitor color photograph systems color filters are positioned between the video monitor screen and the camera lens, and each filter is slidably shifted into and out of position by the use of individual solenoid motors. Such an arrangement is bulky and complex, requiring a large package for a combined monitor and camera. The large size filters and their required large drives are relatively expensive, more difficult to operate and control, and are totally incompatible with a small size compact camera.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small size, compact multiple image color camera employing a black-and-white video monitor for making color photographs.